Non-real time services

ABSTRACT

In certain embodiments, a method of receiving digital television signals involves tuning a radio frequency tuner to receive a radio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream; demodulating the channel to produce an output transport stream; the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, a FLUTE file description table (FDT), NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; demultiplexing the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in an electronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; parsing the metadata to produces NRT service metadata; NRT content description text and NRT content metadata; and processing the NRT content description text derived from a Text Fragment Table (TFT). This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/806,327 to Eyer filed Aug. 10, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,302,128which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/584,171filed Sep. 1, 2009 to Eyer now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,099,752, whichis further related to and claims priority benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Applications 61/200,767 filed Dec. 3, 2008, 61/200,981 filed Dec.5, 2008, 61/206,049 filed Jan. 26, 2009 and 61/161,941 filed Mar. 20,2009, all to Mark Eyer, and each of which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference. Mark Eyer is also the author of a text entitled “PSIP:Program & System Information Protocol”, 2003, The McGraw Hill Companies,Inc. and terms, acronyms, etc. relating to PSIP and associatedtechnologies used herein are consistent with their use in this text. TheAPPENDIX hereto forms a part of this specification and is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction of the patent document or thepatent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Officepatent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments consistent with this invention pertain to non-real-time(NRT) video services for Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC)compliant digital terrestrial broadcasting. An NRT video service is onein which the audio/video content is streamed from the broadcaster toreceiving devices at a slower rate or a faster rate (or a combinationthereof) than real-time rate. Receiving devices utilize local storage tocapture the streaming files so they can be made available to viewersupon arrival of a complete file, or playback can begin prior to completedownload of the entire file.

NRT video services are presently available in a number of forms. Forexample, TiVo™ supports these today on the TiVo HD and TiVo Series 3Personal Video Recorders using proprietary technology using the Internetas a distribution channel. However, there currently exists no standardway to implement these services for ATSC terrestrial broadcasts forplayback on fixed television installations where Internet access is notavailable. Furthermore, the metadata associated with NRT services,including lists of available content and their descriptions would needto accompany the terrestrial broadcast even if the Internet could beused by the receiver to actually retrieve the files.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain illustrative embodiments illustrating organization and method ofoperation, together with objects and advantages may be best understoodby reference detailed description that follows taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1, is a diagram depicting delivery of IP packets via broadcast TVin a manner consistent with certain embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting an example NRT Information Table and itsinteraction with other tables in a manner consistent with certainembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example block diagram of a digital television receiver withNRT reception capabilities consistent with certain embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is an example diagram of the table parsing used in a mannerconsistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the presentdisclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of theprinciples and not intended to limit the invention to the specificembodiments shown and described. In the description below, likereference numerals are used to describe the same, similar orcorresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.

The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more thanone. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or morethan two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least asecond or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein,are defined as comprising (i.e., open ended language). The term“coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although notnecessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term“program” or “computer program” or similar terms, as used herein, isdefined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on acomputer system. A “program”, or “computer program”, may include asubroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an objectimplementation, in an executable application, an applet, a servlet, asource code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load libraryand/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on acomputer system. The term “processor”, “controller”, “CPU”, “Computer”and the like as used herein encompasses both hard programmed, specialpurpose, general purpose and programmable devices and may encompass aplurality of such devices or a single device in either a distributed orcentralized configuration without limitation.

The term “program”, as used herein, may also be used in a second context(the above definition being for the first context). In the secondcontext, the term is used in the sense of a “television program”. Inthis context, the term is used to mean any coherent sequence of audiovideo content such as those which would be interpreted as and reportedin an electronic program guide (EPG) as a single television program,without regard for whether the content is a movie, sporting event,segment of a multi-part series, news broadcast, etc. The term may alsobe interpreted to encompass commercial spots and other program-likecontent which may not be reported as a program in an electronic programguide.

Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment”, “certainembodiments”, “an embodiment”, “an example”, “an implementation” orsimilar terms means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment, example orimplementation is included in at least one embodiment, example orimplementation of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of suchphrases or in various places throughout this specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiment, example orimplementation. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, orcharacteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments, examples or implementations without limitation.

The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive ormeaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means “any ofthe following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. Anexception to this definition will occur only when a combination ofelements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutuallyexclusive. Other terms used herein are consistent with their use in ATSCspecifications and/or the above-referenced text by Mark Eyer unlessotherwise defined or modified herein.

As previously noted, an NRT video service is one in which theaudio/video content is streamed from the broadcaster to receivingdevices at a slower rate or a faster rate (or a combination thereof)than real-time rate. Such services do not currently exist in astandardized format. Receiving devices utilize local storage to capturethe streaming files so they can be made available to viewers uponarrival.

ATSC compliant digital television (DTV) broadcasts deliver 19.39 Mbps.transport streams which generally are not fully utilized every moment ofthe day. The excess capacity in these transport streams could beutilized for transporting NRT services. In some cases, the data may besent in large bursts that are faster than real time, while in otherinstances, the data may be sent in smaller bursts or streams that areslower than real time. In either event, the content can be buffered tobulk storage in receivers for later presentation to a consumer.Generally, the present discussion enables the delivery and consumptionof various types of NRT content. Some usage/consumption models that areenvisioned include but are not limited to:

-   -   Browse and Download—the user is offered a list of content titles        available for download; he or she may browse through these and        select content items of interest. The files are automatically        fetched when available by the receiver and stored for the user        to view at a later time.    -   Push—a user subscribes to a “push” service which captures        certain content that is generally frequently updated (e.g.,        stock prices, weather reports, sports scores, etc.). The        receiver automatically fetches updates of the information; the        service appears to “push” the updated information to the user.    -   Portal—a TV channel appears in the form of a web site that can        be navigated by the user. Links on the TV channel generally lead        to locally stored content that is either in random access memory        (RAM) or persistent bulk storage.

In certain embodiments, a new ATSC Service Type for “NRT” is defined.The use of a new Service Type allows NRT services to be introduced intothe digital broadcast television system in such a way that legacyreceivers are unaffected—they disregard virtual channels with unknownService Type values. While the Terrestrial Virtual Channel Table definesthe service to be, in general, “Non-Real-Time,” the specificusage/consumption model for the NRT files is given in the ServiceCategory field in the Service Map Table (SMT). In the future, morecomplex features and capabilities could be enabled by NRT methods, liketargeted advertising, downloaded games, and the like. These services, ifthey were to be offered, would preferably employ different values ofService Category.

FIG. 1 depicts one mechanism through which broadcast television isutilized to implement IP multicast over an ATSC delivery transport inaccord with ATSC standard A/92. In this figure, a Terrestrial VirtualChannel Table (TVCT per ATSC A/65) 2 provides information regarding eachchannel and includes a service type identifier of 8 (in this example)that defines the service as a NRT service that is delivered via IPpackets. This table further provides TSID information and a programnumber that points to information in a Program Association Table (PAT)4, which in turn points to a program map table (PMT) 6 via a program mapPID (Packet Identifier). The PID is used to associate with a DigitalStorage Media Command and Control (DSMCC) table 8 which essentiallyequates the content associated with the PID to an IP subnet to identifya data stream corresponding to the NRT data sought.

In accord with certain implementations consistent with the presentinvention, a standard method is provided to define a new table which isreferred to herein as the NRT-IT (NRT Information Table). The NRT-ITtable has unique structure and function which facilitates its use inorganizing the metadata it conveys.

In addition, the NRT-IT table introduces several other novel metadataitems relevant to the non-real-time application:

-   -   a parameter called Playback Delay, which indicates the amount of        time from the recovery of the first byte of the file the        receiver must wait prior to beginning playback of the content;    -   a method to indicate that a given piece of NRT content is        available also via Internet transport, and an indication of the        Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that can be used to retrieve it;    -   a flag indicating whether or not the NRT file can be extracted        from the broadcast stream with low-latency (while the user        waits), or whether the receiver should prompt the user to return        to view it at a later time (long latency). This latency may be        established according to a threshold that separates longer from        lower and may be determined by the broadcaster; and    -   a method to identify an graphical icon representation of the NRT        service or content item.

NRT content within the broadcast stream may be delivered in adiscontinuous, non-uniform way, such that the rate of packets may bevariable over time. A long movie file, for example, may be delivered at50% of real-time speed for the first half of the file, and one-quarterreal-time for the remainder. In this case, if a receiver were toextrapolate and guess that playback could commence when half the filehad been buffered, playback would be interrupted because the slower ratein the second portion would cause buffer under-run. The Playback Delayparameter allows the receiver to avoid guessing by letting thebroadcaster indicate when playback may safely start without causing thebuffer to become empty during playback (assuming fast-forwarding doesnot occur).

In some prior NRT implementations (such as OMA BCAST—Open MobileAlliance Broadcast), a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI) was associatedwith NRT content items, but receivers could not determine whether agiven URI was also a URL (such that the content was also being madeavailable via a server on the Internet). In a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the NRT-IT may associate a URL with content itemsthat optionally may be retrieved by the Internet.

A data structure is defined which is referred to herein as a InternetLocation Descriptor (ILD), which can be associated with one or morefiles carried in the broadcast multiplex to point to content that may beretrieved via the Internet, for the benefit of receivers that haveInternet access. The ILD may appear in the NRT-IT, where it indicatesthe physical location of the file or files comprising the particularitem of content available for download. The ILD may also be used withinthe PSIP Virtual Channel Table. In this location, the ILD points tomultimedia content descriptive of the channel itself. Such content couldinclude channel logo, HTML-formatted pages, etc.

This approach provides an efficient method to represent and transportthe metadata used to describe NRT video services in a way that iscompatible and complementary to existing practice in ATSC DTVtransmission standards.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a methodoriginally defined for Internet Protocol (IP) transport over theInternet called “FLUTE” is employed. FLUTE, or “file delivery overunidirectional transport” is specified in RFC-3926. FLUTE builds onanother IP-based transport method called Asynchronous Layered Coding, abase protocol that was designed for efficient distribution viaIP-multicast methods. FLUTE defines a File Delivery Table (FDT)containing characteristics of one or more files contained in a“session.” The files delivered in a FLUTE session may be considered tobe carried in a “carousel,” as the sequence of bytes comprising eachfile typically repeat cyclically.

As defined herein, the NRT-IT table has several attributes thatdistinguish it from an ATSC Data Event Table (DET) which is used indelivery of multicast sessions for ATSC Broadcasts. By way of example,some of the differences are:

NRT-IT gives first and last availability times for the content, wherethe DET gives “start time” and “length,” highlighting the fact that inthe DET only real-time monitoring and use of the data stream wascontemplated.

NRT-IT gives playback time for stored content (the amount of time ittakes to play the complete file); this concept does not appear in any ofthe ATSC data broadcast standards.

NRT-IT provides (via associated Internet Location Descriptor—(previouslyreferred to as Content Location Descriptor in one or more of the aboveprovisional applications)) the location of one or more audio/video orother content files within a transmitted FLUTE session.

NRT-IT provides the storage requirements for downloaded content; DETdoes not.

The structure (syntax and semantics) of the NRT-IT is described below.This structure includes:

a) Extensions to existing methods for announcement of linear broadcasttelevision programming services to support non-real-time delivery.Existing methods are based on the use of ATSC A/65 PSIP. The extensiondefined here involves definition of one new table, the NRT-IT (Non-RealTime Information Table), and definition of new ATSC “Service Types.”b) The existing standard ATSC descriptor mechanism is utilized, andalready standardized ATSC descriptors including the Caption ServicesDescriptor, Content Advisory Descriptor, Genre Descriptor, and ATSC andISO Content Identifier Descriptor are retained.c) With the use of Content Identifier Descriptors in both the NRT-IT andEIT, a user can easily search for NRT content associated with any givenlive (real time) event advertised in the EIT. Using this method, pastepisodes of the show currently being watched can be scheduled for NRTdownload.

As mentioned, each defined Virtual Channel is associated with a ServiceType. Typical Service Types are “ATSC Digital Television,” “Audio-OnlyService,” and “Software Download.” The definition of the NRT ServiceType embodies:

a. The fact that the Virtual Channel is a gateway to one or more NRTservices, in which the user is offered a number of content itemsavailable for immediate or later download.

b. Each content item is described by a content title, a descriptivesentence or paragraph, and other metadata (such as content advisory, theavailability of closed captioning, optionally a JPEG image for on-screenrepresentation of the content item, etc.).

c. A defined set of audio/video codecs, transport encodings andbindings; if the receiver supports this set, all NRT content associatedwith this service will be renderable.

d. Each Virtual Channel of Service Type “NRT” has a pointer to a set ofentries in a Service Map Table (SMT). Each NRT service in the SMT isassociated with entries in an NRT Information Table (NRT-IT), eachinstance of which describes a set of content items the broadcaster hasscheduled to be available for download.

The definition of the syntax and semantics of the NRT-IT can take manyforms, but in one example, the syntax and semantics are provided in theAPPENDIX hereto. The APPENDIX, at several locations, uses the term TBDto mean To Be Determined. TBD values are a matter of choice which can bereadily made by one skilled in the art upon consideration of the presentteachings to provide standardization and can be selected to avoidconflicts.

Turning now to FIG. 2, an example NRT-IT is depicted as 10. The NRT-ITis linked to the SMT-MH table 12 by the service ID (e.g., SID 1). TheSMT-MH table 12 is linked to a FLUTE File Delivery Table (FDT) 14 viathe destination IP address and port number and Transport SessionIndicator (TSI) value. Content identifier fields in the NRT-IT 10reference files in the FLUTE FDT 14. One content identifier reference inthe NRT-IT may reference one or more files in the FDT. A differentcontent identifier, in the SMT 12, may be present to reference a file inthe FDT containing a graphical icon that can be used to represent theservice.

The FLUTE FDT is an IP packet-based directory of files that includes acontent identifier that identifies content present in IP packetselsewhere in the IP packet stream. The content identifier also may linkto an analogous field in a Text Fragment Table TFT 16 (formerly referredto as the extended text table in one or more of the above provisionalapplications) that provides textual metadata associated with thecontent. Thus, the files that represent NRT content and associatedmetadata is packaged as IP packets that are embedded within thebroadcaster's data, for example, as a stream that is encapsulated withinthe 188-byte MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) packets most commonly used fortelevision broadcasts.

In conventional PSIP, various service types are defined in the virtualchannel table. For example, DTV signals are service type 2 and softwaredownloads are defined as service type 5. In accord with embodimentsconsistent with the present invention, an NRT service type is defined asa new service type (e.g., service type 8). Hence, when the virtualchannel table indicates that a service type 8 is present, the receivercan expect and look for receipt of an NRT-IT. The NRT-IT thereforedefines the various parameters that might be used or needed to processand present the NRT content and the associated metadata to the viewer.It is noted that one service ID in the SMT can point to multiple itemsof NRT content which have varying parameters. The content information inthe NRT-IT can define more stringent requirements to consume the contentthan that generally defined in the SMT. By way of example, the SMT mayspecify the support of a particular codec is required in the receiver tooffer a meaningful presentation of the service, but the contentdefinition in the NRT-IT may specify a codec with different and morestringent requirements.

The NRT-IT may contain multiple table elements including, but notlimited to, content name, content ID, Distribution start/end times,playback length, content length (in terms of storage required), contenttypes (codecs), language or languages, audio information, videoinformation, caption service information, content advisories, genre,service information, optional encryption keys, and may contain a contentURL where the content can be immediately retrieved rather than awaitingthe next instance of a broadcast. The attached APPENDIX provides adetailed example of an implementation specification for implementing theNRT Information Table and defines its associated elements. This shouldform a part of a system specification for NRT services such as an NRTspecification as is at the time of this writing being drafted by theATSC.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified TV receiver system 20 that is devised toreceive both real time television broadcasts and NRT content. In thissystem a modulated RF input signal is received, tuned and demodulated ata tuner 24 to produce an ATSC output transport stream (as modified byincorporation of the NRT content as described herein). The transportstream is conventionally a bit stream flowing at a rate of 19.39 Mbpsthat may carry a plurality of channels of content including NRT contentin 188-byte MPEG-2 compliant Transport Stream packets. This TransportStream is demultiplexed at the demultiplexer 28 to produceprogram-specific information (PSI) tables (per ISO/IEC 13818-1) and PSIPtables (per ATSC A/65 PSIP) and a DSM-CC packet stream to CPU 32. Forthe case of conventional real time (linear) TV content, audio and videopackets are supplied to an A/V decoder 36 for decoding. The decodedaudio is supplied to an audio sub-system (not shown) that reproduces theaudio and the video is supplied to a compositor 40 which supplies thevideo output to the TV' s video display circuits (also not shown).

In the alternative, content can be received as a stream of IP packetsfrom the Internet at an IP demultiplexer 42 such that they are passeddirectly to CPU 32 for processing.

Depending upon the mode of operation of the display, the CPU 32, whichoperates in conjunction with application and operating system memory inROM or Flash memory 44, and RAM 46 for example to supply text orgraphics (e.g., as in a graphical user interface [GUI]) as generated bya graphics subsystem 50 that operates using graphics memory RAM 54 toproduce graphics as overlays or the like to compositor 40. Compositor 40combines the graphics if present with the decoded video as its videooutput.

For NRT files and metadata received in the transport stream, this datais routed via the CPU to RAM 46 and the content and metadata can bestored to bulk storage such as a disc drive 58. When the CPU 32instructs the system to play a selection of NRT content, the NRT filesare demultiplexed from their file wrapper (e.g., an MP4 A/V wrapper) at60 to provide audio and video packets established according to a filtercriteria to the A/V decoder 36 for ultimate presentation to theconsumer.

Referring to 64 of FIG. 4, in order to provide the functionality foraccess, download and playback of the NRT data and content, processor 32the IP packets received via the transport stream for support of NRTcontent is demultiplexed in an IP packet demultiplexing operation 68 tofirst separate the stream into the FLUTE file description table, the NRTfile content and service and signaling information. The NRT file contentis stored to the bulk storage 58 and the FLUTE file description table isprocessed by a FLUTE description table parser 72 to produce NRT filemetadata. The service signaling channel data is processed by an NRT dataparser 76 that separates the NRT metadata into 1) service map table(SMT) data that is parsed at a SMT parser 80 to produce NRT servicemetadata; 2) text fragment table data (TFT) that is parsed at TFT parser84 into NRT content descriptive text; and 3) NRT-IT data that is parsedat NRT-IT parser 88 into NRT content metadata. The output of parsers 72,80, 84 and 88 can be stored either in local RAM or Flash memory or bulkstorage 58 or any combination thereof (or using any other storagemechanism). Generally, bulk storage is reserved for larger files or foradditional storage when other memory is at a premium.

Many variations of the above will occur to those skilled in the art uponconsideration of the present teachings. The application used by areceiver is easily devised upon consideration of the present teachings,and can be implemented in a wide variety of ways, allowing manufacturersgreat latitude in product differentiation while providing for NRTservices consistent with a standard delivery arrangement.

Thus, in certain embodiments, a digital television receiver thatreceives non-real time (NRT) content has an IP demultiplexer (Demux) ora radio frequency tuner that receives a transport stream. The outputtransport stream contains an IP packet stream containing NRT content, aFLUTE file description table (FDT) and NRT metadata. An electronicstorage medium is provided and a demultiplexer demultiplexes the IPstream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in theelectronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, and NRT metadata. An FDTparser parses the FDT to produce NRT file metadata from the FLUTE FDT.An NRT metadata parser produces NRT service metadata, NRT contentdescription text and NRT content metadata.

In certain implementations, a digital television receiver that receivesnon-real time (NRT) content has a radio frequency tuner that receives aradio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream over atuned channel and demodulates the channel to produce an output transportstream. The output transport stream contains an Internet Protocol (IP)stream of packets containing non-real time content, a FLUTE filedescription table (FDT) and NRT metadata. An electronic storage mediumis provided. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the IP stream of packets toproduce: NRT content that is stored in the electronic storage medium,the FLUTE FDT, and NRT metadata. An FDT parser parses the FDT to produceNRT file metadata from the FLUTE FDT. An NRT metadata parser producesNRT service metadata; NRT content description text and NRT contentmetadata.

In certain implementations, a service signaling channel contains the NRTmetadata. In certain implementations, the NRT service metadata isreceived in a Service Map Table. In certain implementations, the NRTcontent description text is received in a Text Fragment Table (TFT). Incertain implementations, the NRT content metadata is stored in an NRTinformation table (NRT-IT). In certain implementations, the outputtransport stream further comprises a virtual channel table (VCT), andwherein the VCT contains a service type code indicative of a virtualchannel corresponding to NRT content. In certain implementations, theNRT service metadata is stored in a Service Map Table (SMT), the NRTcontent description text is stored in a Text Fragment Table (TFT), theNRT content metadata is stored in an NRT information table (NRT-IT), andwherein the output transport stream further comprises a virtual channeltable (VCT), and wherein the VCT contains a service type code indicativeof a virtual channel corresponding to NRT content. In certainimplementations, the SMT signals an IP destination address and Portnumber that points to the FLUTE FDT, and wherein the SMT has a serviceID (SID) that indexes a table entry pointing at a matching service ID inthe NRT-IT. In certain implementations, the NRT-IT table has a contentID that indexes table entries in the FLUTE FDT. In certainimplementations, the NRT-IT table further includes entries in the TFT.In certain implementations, the NRT-IT table includes a Playback Delayparameter that indicates an amount of time from the recovery of thefirst byte of the file the receiver should wait prior to beginningplayback of the content. In certain implementations, the NRT-IT tableincludes a flag indicating whether or not the NRT file can be extractedfrom the broadcast stream with lower-latency or whether the receivershould prompt the user to return to view it at a later time due tolonger latency, wherein lower and longer are measured with respect toone another. In certain implementations, the NRT-IT table points to atable that points to a graphical icon representation of the NRT serviceor content item. In certain implementations, the NRT service metadata isstored in a Service Map Table. In certain implementations, the NRTcontent description text is stored in a Text Fragment Table (TFT). Incertain implementations, the content metadata comprises an indicationthat the identified content may be retrieved from an Internet-basedserver, and a Uniform Reference Locator (URL) that may be used to effectsaid retrieval.

In another implementation, a digital television receiver that receivesnon-real time (NRT) content has an Internet protocol (IP) receiver thatreceives a stream of IP packets and selects an IP subnet containing apacket stream selected as an output packet stream. The output packetstream contains non-real time content, a FLUTE file description table(FDT) and NRT metadata. An electronic storage medium is provided. Ademultiplexer demultiplexes the IP packet stream to produce: NRT contentthat is stored in the electronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, and NRTmetadata. An FDT parser parses the FDT to produce NRT file metadata fromthe FLUTE FDT. An NRT metadata parser produces NRT service metadata andNRT content metadata.

In certain implementations, a Service Signaling Channel (SSC) containsthe NRT metadata. In certain implementations, the NRT service metadatais received in a Service Map Table. In certain implementations, the NRTcontent description text is received in a Text Fragment Table (TFT). Incertain implementations, the NRT content metadata is received in an NRTinformation table (NRT-IT). In certain implementations, the outputtransport stream further comprises a virtual channel table (VCT), andwherein the VCT contains a service type code indicative of a virtualchannel corresponding to NRT content. In certain implementations, theNRT service metadata is received in a Service Map Table (SMT), the NRTcontent description text is received in a Text Fragment Table (TFT), theNRT content metadata is received in an NRT information table (NRT-IT),and wherein the output transport stream further comprises a virtualchannel table (VCT), and wherein the VCT contains a service type codeindicative of a virtual channel corresponding to NRT content. In certainimplementations, the SMT has an IP destination address and Port numberthat points to the FLUTE FDT, and wherein the SMT has a service ID (SID)that indexes a table entry pointing at a service ID in the NRT-IT. Incertain implementations, the NRT-IT table has a content ID that indexestable entries in the FLUTE FDT. In certain implementations, the NRT-ITtable has a content ID that indexes table entries in the FLUTE FDT. Incertain implementations, the NRT-IT table further includes entries inthe TFT. In certain implementations, the NRT-IT table includes aPlayback Delay parameter that indicates an amount of time from therecovery of the first byte of the file the receiver should wait prior tobeginning playback of the content. In certain implementations, theNRT-IT table includes a flag indicating whether or not the NRT file canbe extracted from the broadcast stream with lower-latency or whether thereceiver should prompt the user to return to view it at a later time dueto longer latency, wherein lower and longer are measured with respect toone another. In certain implementations, the NRT-IT table points to atable that points to a graphical icon representation of the NRT serviceor content item. In certain implementations, the NRT service metadata isstored in a Service Map Table. In certain implementations, the NRTcontent description text is stored in a Text Fragment Table (TFT). Incertain implementations, the content metadata comprises an indicationthat the identified content may be retrieved from an Internet-basedserver, and a Uniform Reference Locator (URL) that may be used to effectsaid retrieval.

Another digital television receiver that receives non-real time (NRT)content has a receiver device that receives a signal and produces anoutput transport stream, the output transport stream containing anInternet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real timecontent, a FLUTE file description table (FDT) and NRT metadata. Anelectronic storage medium is provided. A demultiplexer demultiplexes theIP stream of packets to produce: NRT content that is stored in theelectronic storage medium, the FLUTE FDT, and NRT metadata. An FDTparser parses the FDT to produce NRT file metadata from the FLUTE FDT.An NRT metadata parser produces NRT service metadata; NRT contentdescription text and NRT Content Metadata.

Those skilled in the art will recognize, upon consideration of the aboveteachings, that certain exemplary embodiments may be based upon use of aprogrammed processor. However, the invention is not limited to suchexemplary embodiments, since other embodiments could be implementedusing hardware component equivalents such as special purpose hardwareand/or dedicated processors. Similarly, general purpose computers,microprocessor based computers, micro-controllers, optical computers,analog computers, dedicated processors, application specific circuitsand/or dedicated hard wired logic may be used to construct alternativeequivalent embodiments.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate, upon consideration of theabove teachings, that the program operations and processes andassociated data used to implement certain of the embodiments describedabove can be implemented using disc storage as well as other forms ofstorage such as for example Read Only Memory (ROM) devices, RandomAccess Memory (RAM) devices, network memory devices, optical storageelements, magnetic storage elements, magneto-optical storage elements,flash memory, core memory and/or other equivalent volatile andnon-volatile storage technologies without departing from certainembodiments of the present invention. Such alternative storage devicesshould be considered equivalents.

While certain illustrative embodiments have been described, it isevident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations andvariations will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light ofthe foregoing description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A digital television receiver that receives Non-Real Time content, comprising in combination: a radio frequency tuner that receives a radio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream and demodulates the channel to produce an output transport stream; the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol stream of packets containing Non-Real Time content, a FLUTE file description table, Non-Real Time service metadata and Non-Real Time content metadata; an electronic storage medium; a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the Internet Protocol of packets to produce: Non-Real Time content that is stored in the electronic storage medium, the FLUTE file description table, Non-Real Time service metadata, and Non-Real Time content metadata; and a Non-Real Time metadata parser that produces Non-Real Time service metadata; Non-Real Time content description and Non-Real Time content metadata.
 2. The digital television receiver according to claim 1, where the Non-Real Time metadata parser further processes Non-Real Time content description text derived from a Text Fragment Table.
 3. The digital television receiver according to claim 2, where the Non-Real Time content description text is received in the Text Fragment Table.
 4. A digital television receiver that receives Non-Real Time content, comprising in combination: an Internet protocol receiver that receives a stream of Internet protocol packets and selects an Internet protocol subnet containing a packet stream selected as an output packet stream; the output packet stream containing Non-Real Time content, Non-Real Time service metadata and Non-Real Time content metadata; an electronic storage medium; a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the Internet protocol packet stream to produce: Non-Real Time content that is stored in the electronic storage medium, Non-Real Time service metadata, and Non-Real Time content metadata; and a Non-Real Time metadata parser that produces Non-Real Time service metadata and Non-Real Time content metadata.
 5. The digital television receiver in accordance with claim 4, where the Non-Real Time metadata parser further processes Non-Real Time content description text derived from a Text Fragment Table.
 6. The digital television receiver according to claim 5, where the Non-Real Time content description text is received in the Text Fragment Table.
 7. The digital television receiver according to claim 4, where the output packet stream further comprises a virtual channel table, and where the virtual channel table contains a service type code indicative of a virtual channel corresponding to Non-Real Time content.
 8. The digital television receiver according to claim 7, where the output transport stream further comprises a virtual channel table, and where the virtual channel table contains a service type code indicative of a virtual channel corresponding to Non-Real Time content.
 9. The digital television receiver according to claim 4, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set top box.
 10. The digital television receiver according to claim 4, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set.
 11. A digital television receiver that receives Non-Real Time content, comprising in combination: a receiver device that receives a signal and produces an output transport stream, the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol stream of packets containing Non-Real Time content, Non-Real Time service and Non-Real Time content metadata; an electronic storage medium; a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the Internet protocol stream of packets to produce: Non-Real Time content that is stored in the electronic storage medium, Non-Real Time service metadata, and Non-Real Time content metadata; and a Non-Real Time metadata parser that produces Non-Real Time service metadata, Non-Real Time content description and Non-Real Time content metadata.
 12. The digital television receiver according to claim 11, where the Non-Real Time content description comprises text received within a Text Fragment Table.
 13. The digital television receiver according to claim 11, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set top box.
 14. The digital television receiver according to claim 11, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set.
 15. A method of receiving digital television signals, comprising tuning a radio frequency tuner to receive a radio frequency modulated channel containing a transport stream; demodulating the channel to produce an output transport stream; the output transport stream containing an Internet Protocol stream of packets containing Non-Real Time content, a FLUTE file description table, Non-Real Time service metadata and Non-Real Time content metadata; demultiplexing the Internet Protocol stream of packets to produce: Non-Real Time content that is stored in an electronic storage medium, the FLUTE file description table, Non-Real Time service metadata, and Non-Real Time content metadata; and parsing the metadata to produces Non-Real Time service metadata; Non-Real Time content description and Non-Real Time content metadata.
 16. The method according to claim 15, where processing the Non-Real Time content description comprises deriving text from a Text Fragment Table.
 17. The method according to claim 16, where the Non-Real Time content description text is received in the Text Fragment Table.
 18. The method according to claim 16, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set top box.
 19. The method according to claim 16, where the digital television receiver is embodied in a television set. 